


a wisp of grey material

by Eveningeyes



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Porn, Ballroom Dancing, Complete, Costume Parties & Masquerades, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fuck TROS, HEA, Happy Ending, Masks, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Pre-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Semi-Public Sex, Smut, Vaginal Sex, actually, canonverse, not sorry, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-01-29 05:44:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21405142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eveningeyes/pseuds/Eveningeyes
Summary: “It’s called the Unity Commemoration Gala. The First Order holds one every year to raise money for the war effort,” Finn scoffed. “And to show off.”Rey slithered through the banquet, stealing snacks from server droid’s trays and popping them into her mouth as she listened for possible intel.“Another thing,” Finn mentioned. “Kylo Ren will most likely be there.”ORRey sneaks into a First Order event and finds herself a very intriguing, very *familiar* dance partner
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 93
Kudos: 435
Collections: November Va-Rey-Ity





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm so excited to post this work for the Reysistance House's November Va-Rey-Ity Event! woo!
> 
> This is for the second week, UnREYcognizable ;) 
> 
> A very special thank you to my reysister juniordreamer for beta-ing this for me! (Read her stuff you guys it is FANTASTIC)
> 
> Enjoy! :)

“Well, how do I look?”

“Like a kriffing First Order sympathizer,” Finn grumbled, his hand waving over Rey’s dark robes with disgust. 

“Perfect!” she grinned. She fastened her lightsaber to a strap against her inner thigh and stood, the cascades of fabric flowing like dark mists around her feet.

“I still don’t like this. What if they figure out who you are?” His tone was firm, cautious, and unnecessarily protective as it always was when he disapproved of her endeavors.

“I can take care of myself, Finn.”

“I know, but…”

“But nothing.” Rey walked over and took the red, metal-boned mask from her friend’s hands. “I’ll be fine,” she assured him, squeezing his hands. “Now, let’s go over the plan again.”

  
  


* * *

Rey flew into Coruscant with surprising ease, the parade of party-goers acting as perfect camouflage. As she activated the landing sequence of her not-so-legally borrowed ship, Finn’s words rang in her head.

_ “It’s called the Unity Commemoration Gala. The First Order holds one every year to raise money for the war effort,” _ he scoffed._ “And to show off.” _

Stepping onto Coruscant’s paved earth, Rey waved her hand over the ship’s hull and activated a cloaking mechanism, hiding it from the light. 

_ “All of the First Order’s most crucial influencers will be there.” _

Checking that her mask hadn’t loosened from the snug fit on her face, Rey slipped into the steady stream of arriving guests as they marched up the carpet-draped steps of Coruscant’s Imperial Hall. She kept her head down and her ears open, biting her berry-red lips as she listened to the muffled sounds of gossip around her. Finn’s advice carried on.

_ “But they’re not there to talk politics. They’re there to spend their money, drink, and dance until they can’t remember what they’ve spent their money on.” _

_ “Or passing First Order intel to an undercover Resistance agent,” Rey added. _

_ “Exactly.” _

As Rey neared the entrance, she found that the river of guests ended with a host who carefully checked in every attendant before allowing them to enter the Hall. 

_ Kriff_, Rey thought, looking for an alternate passageway into the building, but thanks to the wide-open space that was the Hall’s entrance, the only way in was past the host and the several armed Stormtroopers behind him.

_ “You have to be careful,” _ Finn had warned. _ “The guards will be on the lookout for Resistance spies.” _

As Rey’s turn to be checked in neared, she considered her options. _ On the lookout for the Resistance, no doubt, but a _ Jedi _ just might slip through the cracks. _

“Good evening, Miss. May I take your name?”

“Uh,” Rey stammered, transfixed by her unpreparedness. 

_ Think of something! _

The host blinked at her, his eyebrows narrowing together in confusion as impatient guests behind her made their disapproval known.

_ Anything! _

“Rey!” she blurted. 

_ Kriff, anything but that, laser brain! _ “...na. Reyna!” Rey quickly added, feeling relieved in her haste save.

“Reyna…?” the host drawled.

“Solo!” she replied without thinking. 

_ Really? _

“Solos, I mean, sorry, something got caught in my throat,” Rey laughed awkwardly, feeling the heat of a blush bloom on her cheeks as a guest groaned in disgust behind her.

The host’s confused expression only grew more twisted as he checked the guest list. The line behind her grew more impatient, and one of the Stormtroopers at the door shifted on his feet, adding to the simmering tension. And even with her waist packed tightly under an obsidian bodice, Rey’s stomach twirled and flipped. Finally, in desperation, she leaned into his space.

“I made these reservations months ago,” she improvised. “Surely it’s on there.”

“I don’t seem to see-”

“I made my reservation months ago,” Rey interrupted, this time her voice calm and clear as if the notion of her reservation was a well-known fact. “It’s on your list. It’s at the top of your list.”

“It’s at the top of my list!” the host repeated, suddenly cheerful to see the name that Rey knew was not there. “My sincerest apologies, Miss Solos, please enjoy the ball!”

“I will, thank you,” Rey responded as the Stormtroopers hesitantly stepped aside, allowing her to continue forward. She could feel their wary stares on her back as she passed through the gate, but eventually, they turned back to the host and his next guests. Exhaling through a pursed mouth, Rey silently thanked the Force and entered the Hall.

* * *

“I don’t seem to understand _ why _ my presence is required, General, if we’re all wearing masks,” Kylo glowered as he and Hux stood on a balcony draped in crimson and onyx, overlooking the Order’s guests as they flowed in from outside.

“Your presence is not just required, Supreme Leader, it’s mandatory_. _ The people have only just found out about the change in leadership. They want to make sure their investments are in safe hands.”

“What exactly is _ unsafe _ about my hands, General?” Kylo hissed in warning.

Hux smiled tightly, “Nothing, Supreme Leader.” He turned from the balcony. “I’m going to make sure our most trusted supporters are well taken care of, with your permission of course.”

Kylo nodded, his head heavy from the metal mask that covered his eyes and nose. He would have worn his old one, had he not smashed it into smoldering pieces only a few short weeks ago. This one, a skeleton of high-tech metal covered by a fire-red shell, fit differently but would have to do for now.

“Try not to spend the entire evening up here,” Hux chimed, “Join the party. Who knows--you may enjoy yourself.”

After Hux had left, Kylo chuckled to himself. _ Enjoy myself, _ he thought. _ What could be enjoyable about this? _ He peered down at the swirling colors of red and black below him as the galaxy’s highest society danced and socialized amongst themselves. They moved like billowing smoke and fire, like poison coursing through thick blood. And yet, something significant moved in the corner of his vision, and his heart burrowed into his gut. 

The Scavenger.

_ Rey. _

Was it _ her? _ Kylo whipped his head violently in her direction, only to find...nothing. His mind was tricked yet again by a wisp of grey material. With it, however, a flash of her memories whirled in his mind. Things only _ he _ knew. Things like the warmth of her outstretched hand, the glossiness of tears in her richly green eyes, the harsh hiss of the Falcon door as it closed.

He took a deep breath. _ She _ was constantly tempting his thoughts. But perhaps a drink could set her aside, if just for tonight.

* * *

  
  


Rey slithered through the banquet, stealing snacks from server droid’s trays and popping them into her mouth as she listened for possible intel. 

_ “Another thing,” _ Finn mentioned. _ “Kylo Ren will most likely be there.” _

Rey’s stomach took another whirl as she was reminded of the possibility of seeing Ben again. 

She had shut him out, or at least, she thought she had, however many weeks ago. But sometimes Ben would still appear in her thoughts. Briefly, like a whisper, she had heard him say “please” a thousand times in her dreams. It plagued her every night, and in the same way, it plagued her now.

She would have to be stubbornly defensive, acutely aware and overly cautious if she was going to avoid him here. If she wasn’t, even just for a minute, the bond could open, or worse, he could follow her Force signature. And then it would all be over. The thought squeezed her stomach as another server droid passed by, this time carrying a tray of small glasses filled to the brim with a clear liquid. The need to know what it was escaped her as she swiped two glasses from the droid and downed both of their contents in two swift gulps. It burned mercilessly, hotter than the unforgiving Jakku sun. Rey swallowed, blinking back tears she blamed on the alcohol.

With the thought of him mostly drowned, she continued her hunt.

* * *

“Greetings, fellow patrons!” a Yuzzum announcer called out to the guests of the ball, as his groggy voice was amplified and translated into multitudes of languages through hovering speakers. Kylo began to stalk down the massive stairs, signaling to his guards not to follow him. Tonight, he needed to become invisible. If Hux was right, if people _were_ worried about the future of the Order, then Kylo wanted to hear it for himself. 

The announcer continued his boasting speech. “As you well know, tonight’s celebration is in support of the newly crowned Supreme Leader and the First Order, whose strength and diligence has proven true to keeping our galaxy safe!” 

Loud yet polite applause rumbled from the crowd beneath. Kylo heard a few guests grumbling and scoffing, but nothing serious enough to be considered treason. He continued through the crowd.

“I see that all of you remembered to wear your masks,” the announcer bellowed. “Excellent! If you haven’t found out already, those fun little things not only look luxurious, but they are also equipped with the capability to translate into any of the well-known languages and manipulate the sound of your voice!” Waves of_ oohs _ and _ ahhs _ followed. Kylo pressed the side of his mask, and a faint electric hum sprang to life in his ears. Dozens of guests around him did the same, whispering to their partners as they did so.

“Tonight, you can be whoever you want to be. But remember, as we discard our identities, we remember our strength as one! So drink, dance, and have fun, but don’t forget to donate!” 

And with that, thunderous applause boomed throughout the Hall, as patrons lifted their glasses and kissed one another. The orchestra began to play, and the party had officially begun. 

* * *

Rey pressed the side of her mask as a quiet buzzing sound sang in her ears. She scanned the crowd, looking for patrons drunk enough to spill their secrets to some random totally-not-a-spy partygoer like herself. Unfortunately, all of the drunk patrons were not high enough in society to have any real secrets to spill. If she were to get what she came for, she'd have to get a little creative. 

Then, in the center of the ballroom, the Force acted in her favor. Patrons, dozens of them, danced together to the sounds of the orchestra that played from the balconies. Per the type of formal dance, they mingled and mixed carefully, frequently changing partners with one another. Behind them, older, richer guests were seated and served with utmost care as gossip spreaders whispered in their ears. 

_ This is it_, Rey thought. She could easily enter the mix, gather information as she danced around, and finally, after a thorough investigation, dip into the mind of the right supporter who could give her exactly what the Resistance needed. 

The only things that were stopping her were her two left feet, but, perhaps the Force could help her with that, too.

Like jumping into a strong current, Rey entered herself into the dance and immediately was whisked away by the excited energy of it all. Girls like her, with short dark hair and wine red lips, jumped and twirled to the orchestra’s songs, the long fabrics of their dress gowns swaying along the dancefloor effortlessly. For a moment, Rey wondered who these girls were. She wondered if their parents supported the First Order. Or perhaps their husbands. She wondered if maybe in an alternate life, they’d be her friends. 

She wondered if they agreed with the totalitarian cruelty that shackled the galaxy, or if they just didn’t know better. Which was worse, she couldn’t decide. 

Young men joined the dance too, taking turns in dipping the ladies and circling them so that their luxurious dresses stretched to their full length, dotting the dancefloor in red and black blooms. Rey kept scanning as she danced, noting that one guest, in particular, received the most attention from the servers. A shriveled excuse for a man, his crystal glass shook in his withered hands as he sipped on clear amber. _ He must be the one._ But how to get to him? Perhaps she could feign an injury, take respite in a lounge chair next to him and rip the material from his mind before anyone could notice. Or, maybe she could befriend the dancing girls, since one of them was bound to be close to him somehow, and get him that way. 

While she contemplated, the dance kept moving fast, and after being whisked in its tumultuous tide for a while, Rey moved fast as well. It was only when she turned, still lost in thought, and ran face-first into a wall of dark fabric that she realized the dance was over. 

“Oh, excuse me!” Rey gasped, bowing her head as to hide even more than the mask would allow.

The man in front of her stayed silent, and Rey shamed herself inwardly for being so careless. Had she hit him a little harder, her mask could have fallen off, and the last Jedi would have been revealed in the middle of a First Order celebration. She lifted her head to see him, expecting a disgusted, wrinkled scowl to meet her gaze, but curiously found something quite the opposite. An expressionless, firm stare looked down instead, initiated by plunging, dark eyes. Though their darkness was fierce, she could feel no threat, no real harm emanating from the man who stood before her.

His face was mostly hidden by a red, electronically-made mask that covered his nose and cheeks, but she _ could _ see his hair, charcoal-colored and long, and his lips, plump and dim red. His outfit consisted solely of black fabrics and a matching cape that draped over his shoulders, the combination of which towered over her so much that they blocked the ceiling lights. He looked, and strangely, _ felt _, like an eclipse, blocking every ounce of light around her.

And even stranger, his presence was familiar, it reminded her of something...or perhaps _ someone _ . Someone who the thought of made her stomach turn endlessly and for _ that _ reason who she promised herself she wouldn’t think of anymore. Not when he made his own choice.

Besides, Rey could hardly imagine Ben Solo joining a dance. 

After she all but _ crashed _ into him, the music ceased abruptly, leaving dozens of curious eyes to fall on Rey and the mystery in front of her. He said nothing but raised a gloved hand, and the music started again along with the dancing.

_ He commands the room_, Rey mentally noted. 

The orchestra’s high paced hymns stretched into slower, more romantic tunes that were impossible to escape from, so she just stood there helplessly as the stoic dark wall in front of her extended his hand.

“Would you...like to dance?” he said, his deep voice scratched horribly by the mask he wore. 

Rey looked around, noticing that her previous project was now in the arms of one of the dancing girls. _ Kriff, _ she cursed inwardly. _ No way I can get to him now._ But maybe this man, the one stretching his gloved hand out for her, _ he _ knew something. The way he presented himself, he must have been important. Maybe he was a general or...something. 

Rey placed her hand in his glove and allowed her mysterious dance partner to bring her close, and as the music began to swell into rich, triumphant tones, they leaped into the frivolous current.

* * *

“Are you enjoying the ball?” he asked as they coalesced into waves of fire and ash.

Rey misstepped, startled by the power in his words. “Yes, thank you.”

He nodded in affirmation. 

_ Well, this interrogation is off to a great start. _

They waltzed around the ballroom together, both stubbornly fighting for the lead, which of course made their dancing awkward and frigid compared to the other twirling couples. Rey struggled to find the right words to say. She needed him alone if she were to enter his mind and find intel, but, _ how? _ She certainly wasn’t the best at seduction, and her dance partner wasn’t exactly a talker. He remained completely silent for the most part, save only for one small, almost unnoticeable squeeze at her side after he dipped her briefly. The gesture surprised her, but what surprised her more was how her chest tightened when she felt it. He hadn’t said but a few words to her and yet, it all felt so _ familiar _. 

_ He _ felt familiar.

“What are your opinions on the matter of celebration?” Rey’s winding thoughts were yet again interrupted abruptly by his deep, synthetically distorted voice.

She stuttered. “The matter of-”

“The new Supreme Leader,” he cut in harshly.

“I don’t believe it’s my place to say.”

“Nonsense. Your opinion matters as much as anyone else’s.”

Rey took a moment to think. _ The Supreme Leader._ Ben had saved her, hadn’t he? And yet, after everything, he stayed with the Order. He continued to lead the empire that crushed the galaxy with the firmest grip, terrorizing millions and destroying systems mercilessly.

And for _what? _

“I can’t say,” she finally said to her confidant’s chest. “I don’t know him, and I don’t think many know him, but I suppose there is good in him, somewhere.”

The man underneath her palms stilled, and rightfully so. She was lurking in dangerous, treasonous territory. “I mean, I think he thinks what he’s doing is right,” she added, hoping that it wouldn’t spark suspicion. 

He loosened a bit, his shoulders slacking slightly. “Yes, I believe he does.”

After a moment, she added, “I can only hope that he makes the right choice.”

He stopped their dancing to look down at her, the couples continuing around them like a kaleidoscope of First Order colors. He looked at her like he was searching for something in her eyes, almost as if he was trying to remember. And she, looking up at him, felt an overwhelming connective feeling as well, one so powerful and gravitational in the way that it urged her to come closer to him. His gloved hand, the one that held her waist, came up slowly towards her face, and nothing in Rey screamed to disallow him from doing so. Because she wanted to know too. 

_ Who are you? _

Suddenly, a drunk guest stumbled into the middle of the dancefloor, but before he could spill his wine on Rey, she felt her dance partner’s hands back at her waist, lifting her effortlessly up and out of the bumbling man’s path. It took the breath from her, being lifted so graciously, and he didn’t seem to struggle with her weight in the slightest. As he let her down, he turned to the belching, hazy-eyed man. 

“I suggest you watch where you’re going,” he growled in a dark, electrified tone. 

“Excuse me...mmm...sir,” the man bubbled as a server droid appeared with a cloth, guiding the drunk away and apologizing profoundly. 

“My dearest apologies, Sup-”

But the man raised his hand again. “It’s nothing. Get him washed and in a shuttle.”

“At once, Sir,” the droid said and whisked the drunk man away, a hush of whispers gathering in the crowd as he left. 

Rey’s savior turned to her again, his dark tone eviscerated. “Are you alright?” 

She nodded, still trying to find air from when he picked her up. Her act must have not been promising because he tugged on his bottom lip, which caused it to blush red, something Rey couldn’t help but notice. “Here, let me find you a seat.” He held out his hand again, and without thinking, Rey took it and allowed him to whisk her away from the dancefloor.

He pulled out a chair for her in an undisturbed section of the Hall and kneeled before her with a cloth. The way that his head hung as he looked at her stung her, as if she’d seen this before, but she took the cloth graciously and pretended to dab at her undisturbed gown, studying him all the while. He was a very broad man, she knew it from their first encounter, but seeing him like this, kneeling in front of her, she could see how massive he was. He must have been so powerful, and it made her feel powerful to have him at her disposal. Her gaze followed his large fist as it clenched and relaxed repeatedly atop his knee like he was arguing with himself. She felt the urge to place her hand over it, to relax him, but shook the thought away. 

_ You can’t fix everyone with a touch of a hand,_ she scolded herself.

When he asked yet another time if she was okay, she laughed. “I’m okay, I promise. It takes more than spilled wine to scare me.”

He nodded again, silent still. Then, he looked up with that same piercing gaze from the ballroom, and Rey felt a chill rush up to her spine. She sucked in the hot, muggy air of sweat and shared breath and a lightness filled her skull. “You know, I really could use some air,” she suggested, and he rose to his full height with his hand extended yet again.

This time, she was not surprised at how easy it was to take it.

* * *

He led her through narrow hallways, behind curtained passages, and up spiraling staircases until finally, he opened a door to a small balcony that overlooked Coruscant’s busily fleeting cityscape. The whizzing shuttles and air taxis acted like rushing bloodstreams, giving the night a vibrant liveliness that Rey had never felt before. Their constant movement also supplied a delicious, light breeze that soothed her skin from the heat of the ballroom. Rey breathed it in selfishly as her counterpart joined her at the balcony’s edge.

“How did you know about this?” she asked as she basked in the night air.

“I used to come here as a child,” he replied dully. “No one ever noticed my escapades, and one day they led me here.”

“It’s beautiful,” Rey said.

He inched closer. “Yes,” he agreed, and she could feel his stare linger on her ear, her cheek, her lips. “Very beautiful, indeed.”

The heat of his gaze made her blood race, setting every nerve on fire and awaking a deep ache in the pit of her belly. She leaned in closer to him, the shared space in between them growing warm with anticipation. He leaned in more, towering over her like he did when they first met, and she slid her fingers over his gloved hand where it rested on the ledge. Behind metal masks, they locked eyes, and Rey found herself inexorably falling into his deep stare, the kind that reached for her, that promised her safety in his arms, and pleasure against his lips.

But when he pressed against her lips, all that came to her mind was Ben.

She saw him in the hut on Ahch-To and in the elevator on the _ Supremacy_. She saw him dripping sweat and begging her to stay. And as the memories flashed in her mind, guilt soured the taste of this unknown man on her tongue, and she stilled before pulling back from him.

She opened her eyes, and his followed languidly after, along with a deep swallow. What was she _doing? _She was supposed to be finding information for the Resistance, not kissing a stranger on a romantic balcony! Who knows what amount of unbound danger she was in just by being alone with him? 

Rey stepped backward, away from the ledge. The man she had just kissed followed her, his hand reaching out in such a familiar way it pulled on her heart. “Wait,” he said.

Tears began to sting the space behind her eyes as the volatile mix of guilt and want threatened to tear her apart. “I-” she began.

“Please,” he whispered, a sound so severe she couldn’t leave, not again.

He closed the distance between them, placing a gloved hand around hers. “Please,” he said again, and it felt so real, so much_ like _ him, Rey almost believed it was Ben who stood in front of her.

Maybe she was wrong. This entire night, she had tried to bury Ben Solo with other thoughts, with alcohol, with logic and rationalizations, but maybe that’s not what she needed at all. Maybe, she could use this man who reminded her of Ben and get out whatever feeling was lurking inside her heart. She could use him and let him use her, as so many people do at parties anyway, and maybe after it was over, she could finally be free of Ben Solo.

So she kissed him again.

* * *

His gloved hands were messing her tightly done hair, as hers raked over his scalp and through his raven locks. He moaned into her mouth when she pulled on them, thrusting himself and his ever-present hardness into the bodice of her dress. She could only guess the size of it, but even her best guesses took the breath from her lungs, the deep ache inside her only growing heavier with want.

He pressed her against the outside wall of the old Imperial building, the cool metal sliding against the sleek fabrics of her gown and the goosebumps that traveled in the wake of his hot touch. He kissed her jawline hungrily, as if the more he touched the more ravenous he became, and she wanted to satisfy his craving. She wanted to be wanted and _ kriff _ did it feel good when he wanted her so fiercely. 

_ More, more, give me more of you,_ she pleaded.

His kisses traveled below her collarbone, approaching the neckline of her gown and the firming nipples underneath. She confirmed it, audibly this time, surprising herself with the boldness in her voice when she told him yes_, please, touch me there._

The bodice was hard to manipulate, but Rey slithered out of it enough so that the peaks of her breasts poked out from the hem, and his mouth immediately closed around them. She cried out as he licked and played, her hands full of his black hair and eyes tightly shut, pretending that the mouth on her was Ben’s. The ache in her abdomen throbbed and thumped, slicking her underwear to the point where it began to drip down her thigh. She knew what she wanted, what she _ needed_, and reaching for her skirts, she directed him to that need.

He reached for her waist and lifted her upward, a shocked gasp escaping her lips as he did so. When her legs reached his waist, they instinctively wrapped around him, causing him to groan darkly as his hardness rubbed against her wet center.

He kept her above the ground like that, supported only by his hands and the cold wall of the Hall, and when she opened her eyes she could see Coruscant’s endless rivers of traffic. For a moment, she felt like she was flying with them until his rough thrusts pulled her back to the present. Rey reached a hand down between them, feeling around where her wet fabrics met his, and he moaned again when she wrapped her fingers around his member. Words evaded her, but she still wanted more, so all she did was squeeze it and whisper,_ please. _

He ceased his desperate thrusts, removing one hand to fumble with hers around his waist-belt and release his engorged cock. Rey felt for it, relishing in the smooth, veiny skin and the way he melted when she did so. They kissed again, sloppily this time as his fingers reached for her underwear and hooked themselves into the fabric. She continued squeezing him, and when she moaned into his mouth at the feeling of his wetness, he ripped the fabric of her underwear in one swift tug. Rey gasped again, marveled at his power but also at his need for her, and sharp spikes of pinched nerves riddled their way down her back and over her thighs. She pulled him close to her aching, dripping center, lining him up with her entrance and letting him feel just how wet she was.

“_ Kriff, _” he moaned, almost quiet enough for her not to hear. The mask he wore distorted the confession enough so that it sounded more like an exhaust bellowing than a man in pleasure, but she welcomed it all the same. 

He leaned back from her for a moment, to look into her eyes as if to ask for permission. Eager, she nodded, and before she could process her decision he plunged into her, stretching her cunt in the most delicious, surprising way. They both moaned when he continued pushing into her until their hips joined, and when his cock filled her, Rey felt the familiar sting of tears at the corners of her eyes. He pulled back and then pressed up into her again, and a faint whimper escaped her lips. Soon, her wetness covered him completely, and he easily slid in and out of her throbbing cunt, tapping the burrowed pillow of pleasure deep inside her and gradually building her pleasure. 

The thrusts, his rough breathing in her ear, the unlikely danger that someone could catch them, and the tantalizing fantasy that it was Ben, all of it made Rey crumble underneath this man’s touch. She could feel that he was getting close too, as his breathing became more ragged and his jerky thrusts more desperate. So she snuck a hand between them again and played with her clitoris, squeezing her eyes shut as she focused on all of the stimuli and of course, on Ben. 

She fantasized that he was making love to her in a bed they owned, with no masters to hold them down or wars to fight, no secret bonds or bad blood, just each other. She pictured him making love to her in the morning, and the afternoon, and just after midnight. She wondered which parts of her he’d love the most and what things she could do to make him groan in pleasure. 

The man underneath her groaned and it brought Rey over the edge, her hips gyrating as she came on his cock and her hand, crying out as waves of pleasure rocked throughout her body. She whimpered as he pressed on, thrusting into her with such urgent force she thought she could come again soon if he didn’t stop. Breathing heavily, she combed his hair with her fingers and pressed her lips to his temple while he began to tip over his edge.

That’s when she heard it. It was small and faint, and at first, she had to clear her mind so that she could hear it again, but as he began to come, she heard it again.

“Rey,” he breathed.

Her blood stood still in her veins as he came inside her, frozen over with horror and confusion.

“Rey,” he mewled again, like a prayer. Like he didn’t even realize he was saying it. 

She turned to look at him. His uneven breath panted hotly at her collarbone as her name spilled from his lips over and over again, in time with each jagged, spurting thrust. And with each new iteration, the realizations flooded in.

_ Of course,_ she thought. It all made sense now. The way he commanded the room, the server droid apologizing so profusely, the way he stilled when she hoped for good in the newly appointed Supreme Leader. 

The way he seemed so _ familiar_.

She reached up, instinct taking over as she ripped the mask from his face and stared at the confirmation of her suspicions. Ben, who pulled out of her so harshly she whimpered, looked distraught and betrayed for a moment, only for rage to take over.

She could only look at him with complete shock, the finality of what they’d just done settling as smoothly as what now dripped between her legs. 

“Why did you do that?” he barked, as he stuffed himself back into his pants in a quick act of self-preservation. When she didn’t answer, he screamed. “Why did you do that!?”

Rey blinked, tears sliding underneath her mask at the acidity of his tone. Then she remembered. _ The mask._

Gently, she reached up and pressed the button on the side, a faint _ hissing _ noise sounding as she slipped the mask off and let it clatter on the balcony floor.

And there they stood, with a thousand questions and a thousand more confessions hanging in the cold air between them, staring at each other as if for the first time. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> So... sorry for the fact that it took a thousand+ years to update this... I really meant to but I got so excited with other projects and then TROS happened and it really hurt me. Like... I didn't write anything for a long time. But now I'm finally getting out of that slump and re-visiting some WIPs. 
> 
> That being said, this isn't a smutty pt. 2 to the previous chapter. This is very sappy, very HEA, and probably a very selfish end to what I wrote previously. I just wanted another world where things were different. 
> 
> Anyway, if you liked the idea of this fic being pre-TROS, I wouldn't continue. If you do read, I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Much love, Eveningeyes.

There was a feeling in Rey’s stomach. Surging, reeling, overwhelmed by floods of something she couldn’t quite describe. She tried to breathe it away, but every breath only settled down the simmer instead of washing it clean. What had they done? And why hadn’t the need gone away?

Ben looked shaken. He panted, sharing the pace of breath she took and stared at her with wild, fearful eyes. Thinking the exact same thoughts.

_ What had they done? _

His mask remained on the ground, next to hers, but he assimilated another. One made of still movement and tired eyes. This one she knew well.

“Have you come to assassinate me, then?” he murmured.

“What?”

“I should say I’m surprised, but lack of class is part of your style now, isn’t it,  _ rebel scum _ ?”

That stung. “This is not what I planned.”

He laughed a great, booming swell of feigned joy. “Oh, so I’m not the  _ right _ random man you were going to fuck for intel? Not according to your  _ plan _ , Rey?”

His hand tensed at his side, but it was his words that ripped a void from her chest. Her throat swelled, threatening her ruin. Rey pushed through and forced clarity in her voice. She seethed at him. “And what were you doing then? Moaning my name into another woman’s ear? Don’t you  _ dare _ try to tell me what's classless!”

Ben chuckled dryly and began a light pace around the balcony. He pretended to reflect the comment, but Rey could tell she got to him. It felt good. “You did this!”

He turned violently and locked his dark gaze with hers. “ _ I _ did this? I offered you everything!”

“I didn’t want  _ everything _ !” 

_ Ah. There it is. _

Her voice betrayed her then, cracking on the last word, and it was a matter of seconds before the tears followed. Ben responded instinctively, leaning forward like he meant to comfort her. But he stopped himself.

Rey cursed the tears that spilled over her cheeks. Ben went back to pacing.

“You wanted someone who doesn’t exist anymore,” he said to the night air. “And once you questioned it, whatever feelings you had turned conditional.”

Tears continued to flow.  _ Kriffing hell water _ , she cursed.  _ What’s happened to me? To us? _

It didn’t make sense! Rey thought she’d be rid of it now, but the feeling, the  _ draw _ to him was even worse. She felt endless pain as feverous anger and dreadful want sank their claws in her heart and  _ tore _ . She hated him. And she wished he would hold her again.

Meanwhile, his come began to seep from her cunt, pooling in her lips and trickling down her thighs. Rey clenched them instinctively, hoping she could stop it, but Ben’s eyes caught the movement. He flinched, swallowed hard, and everything from before crumbled.

His head lowered, and pieces of black fell over his eyes. The mask had shattered.

“I...May I…” he muttered, pulling out his handkerchief from before, but not daring to come any closer. He just... _ stood _ there, staring at her skirt-ends and working his jaw.

It took her a moment to put it together, but he meant to clean her. Clean her of  _ him _ .

Her first instinct was to recoil, her hand reaching for the cold wall behind her and legs closing even tighter.

_ No _ , was her first thought. She didn’t want this to be taken away, too. But with the same desperation to savor him, she craved his touch, so she nodded and allowed him to come forward.

She kept betraying herself when it came to him, it was mystifying. First under frozen rain in the forest, then under falling embers on the  _ Supremacy _ , and now here. She wondered what made her do such things and what to call the feeling that enveloped her in his presence. Ben bowed at her skirt, taking a knee before gently reaching for her foot. She braced on the balcony rail behind her and allowed him to begin lifting the red and black silks of her dress. Her mind worked.

_ At what point can you differentiate fear from bewilderment? From awe? And when awe evolves into something much greater, what is that called? _

His fingers worked cautiously, making confessions and apologies she knew he wished to speak. The energetic Coruscant air whipped at her uncovered skin, but what gave her chills was the fact that it was  _ him _ , really him, and he was so close. Under his large palm, the handkerchief wiped her calves, sending pulses of fire and ice flushing through her veins.  _ Still _ , she realized, he bemused her in every way.

Ben’s hands worked higher, gathering the sticky warm mess that oozed from where they were once joined. He continued to clean her diligently and methodically, but not without emotion. His brows furrowed with anger and under eyes twitched with fatigue, but each press of the fabric on her skin was with absolute care and remorse. Each touch was out of necessity.

That was until his hand accidentally grazed her labia, and Rey almost jumped in the air. Ben froze.

“It’s alright,” Rey reassured, after catching her breath. Somehow, even in the afterglow of what they’d just done, her body ached as she’d never known his touch. It was as compelling as it was infuriating.

When she was clean, he folded the cloth and set it on the ground. She half-expected him to return to his impressive height and tell her that he’d give her a head start before alerting his guards. Then they’d go back to how they used to be.

But he didn’t. He stayed there, knelt at her feet, still as the stone walls surrounding them.

He mumbled while shaking his lowered head, and his words sounded muffled by both her skirts and his infliction.“I didn’t want this. I wanted you.”

“I know,” she whispered.  _ I wanted you too _ , she wished to say.

“I’ve ruined it all.” He was crying hot tears into her dress folds.

“Ben.” Rey leaned down and placed her hand on his heaving back. He began to sob, and the sound tore her apart.

_ I wanted you, too. _

But she couldn't have him. She couldn’t take his hand, not as he directed the empire that chained the galaxy. Nor as he continuously put her friends in danger. As much as it weakened her heart and betrayed her soul, she couldn’t.

** _You’re wrong_ ** , a voice said.

_ What? _ Rey thought. She looked down at Ben but he hadn’t said anything. She glanced around the balcony, but they remained alone.

** _Take his hand. Please_ ** . There it was again. It was... familiar, but broken and strained. And as close as it was to her ear, it sounded so far away. Could it be another mind trick? A ripple in the Force?  _ Stranger things have happened, _ she thought, while her hand pressed protectively into Ben’s back.

** _Take his hand, Rey. Never look back._ **

That’s when she realized. The voice, by some strange phenomenon, well, it sounded like  _ hers _ . Like herself. Yet this version of her, wherever she came from, spoke with a tone of age and wisdom. And regret.

Rey looked down at Ben, whose face was still buried in her dress, and her heart began to gallop. Already her mind raced with countless possibilities, strewing together a lifetime of shared joy. Until, of course, she remembered her friends. And she remembered Leia. Everything stilled.

** _They will come to understand,_ ** the other version of herself said.  ** _Leia most of all._ **

The words were solid and clear, binding her heart in certainty and confidence.  _ Peace and purpose. _

“Ben,” Rey urged, pulling on his tunic from above. “Look at me!”

He obeyed, turning to face her with red-rimmed eyes and glossy lashes.

She moved her hand and placed it on his scarred cheek. The contours of his face flinched away from her at first, but after a moment, he allowed her to caress him. “Ben,” she said again, “Do you still want me?”

He seemed puzzled like he was trying to figure out what game she was playing.

“Do you still love me?” she tried instead.

“Yes,” he said immediately.

They both blinked, surprised by the hastiness of his confession. Rey’s heart pounded harder. She brought her other hand down and cupped his face, pushing the wet strands of darkness from his eyes. “Come away with me, then.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Leave it all behind. If you truly want me, and nothing else, leave this.” She swallowed. “Leave it and I’ll go with you. I’ll leave it all, too.”

Ben rose to his feet, and gently placed his hands around her face. He wiped away the wetness that she didn’t even realize was there. “You will?”

“Yes!” she beamed, finding joy in finally being able to describe what had been screaming in her heart for so long. “All I want is you, Ben. I promise you.”

A grin wider than she’d ever seen broke through his mask, illuminating the man she knew and loved inside. Along with it, an unmatched power rang throughout her bones. It sent her blood singing as it raced through her veins, and made every breath taste like heaven. She looked at Ben’s lips, now knowing what they felt like on her skin, but craving them anew.

Rey pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. She laughed as she kissed him. She cried. She kissed him with sincerest apologies, with the most devious promises, and most of all, the most overdramatic professions of love.

And Ben kissed her just as fiercely.

* * *

Hand in hand, they raced through the old building like scampering children.

They adorned new masks, as to not expose themselves to the ocean of enemies surrounding them.

Ben insisted on bringing one item, a drive of some sort, from his personal quarters. “For Leia,” was all he said.

Other than that, the escape was too easy. Rey had to practice some engineering to fit both of them in her stealth ship, but as it turned out, they were equally comfortable sharing the pilot's seat.

She spent the trip in Ben's lap, memorizing every detail of his face and hair while he punched in hyper lane coordinates.

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere only she knows.”

She kissed his temple, and they disappeared into hyperspace.

* * *

Heavy streams of blue and white flickered across the ship’s dashboard. They turned Ben’s moles into planets, his wrinkles into comets, and his eyes galaxies of their own. Rey let her fingers graze down his nose and cheek, memorizing the way his soft skin felt on her fingertips. Ben did the same, tickling her face with his cautious touch. 

Soon, chaos would erupt as the Supreme Leader wouldn’t return to his post and the last Jedi wouldn’t return from her latest mission, but Rey didn’t feel anxious at all. In fact, all she felt was peace. It surrounded them like a delightful hum, like the Force itself was finally calm because they had found each other.

Rey kissed the inside of Ben’s palm, and he smiled, but it faded. Something troubled him.

“Are you sure?” he whispered. 

The question worried her gut. He still didn’t believe her. 

“Of course,” she replied, kissing his temple and then repeating it again. “Of course!” 

His soft words hovered in the thin air. “It’s just that...I’m not leaving anything behind. You, however…”

He meant her friends. Finn. Rose. Chewie. Poe.

And Leia. 

“They will come to understand,” Rey said, reciting the words of an older, remorseful self. “When the war is over and won, they’ll see.” 

Ben nodded, reaching again to touch her hair, her nose, her lips. Then he pulled her down and kissed her as the hyperspace clouds parted and welcomed them to their new home. 

* * *

Many moons later...

Rey had found out what her belonging looked like. She found out that it smelled like summer earth and spring dew and sounded like heavy snoring at sunrise. It was short-fused when frustrated, but patient when listening. It pushed her to do things she was afraid of, like teaching force-sensitives how to find their strength or coming to terms with her abandonment. It picked her wildflowers before dinner and caressed her long hair at night. It even tried to be civil with her friends because it knew she’d like it. And Rey wouldn’t want it any other way.

Tonight, it swung her around in the Naboo moonlight to no music at all.

“You’re not the best dancer,” Rey said into Ben’s chest.

“I’m a great dancer,” he objected.

“Is that what this is?” she teased. “I didn’t realize swaying counted as dancing.”

Ben picked her up and spun her around again. Rey giggled into the thick, misty air. 

“Remember the ball we attended?” He reminded her as he placed her back down on the dewy grass. “And my exquisite dancing?”

“I remember a tall, dark, brooding man picking me up for most of the dance, yes. Other than that, I remember my feet being stepped on.”

“Well, we have plenty of time to learn, don’t we?”

“Yes, I dare say we do.”

Ben ceased their swaying and reached up to caress Rey’s face. She did the same, feeling every fiber in her body sing with energy.

This was right. She was finally home. 

With the Force vibrating around them, their lips met and pressed, sealing their fate forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stories only have power over us when we let them. What is given to us (movies, comics, novelizations) can just be source material if you choose to see it that way. What *really* matters is what you keep in your heart. So, for me, I'm going to keep my favorite characters and the belief that they found their belonging. What you keep is up to you! 
> 
> If you wanna chat I'm on twitter @ eveningeyess <3

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked my excuse for writing porn : D 
> 
> I may be easily peer pressured into writing a second chapter if that's something you'd be interested in ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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